A youth from Kerala who was returning to the state from Karnataka after purchasing a milch cow and its calf was shot at by officials of Karnataka forest department. The cow, the calf and the vehicle bringing them were also seized by the forest officials.

The victim is Ellukochi Nishanth, 30, of Chemberi in Panathur. He has been admitted to Pariyaram medical college. Nishanth received four bullets on his leg.

The incident took place around 3.30 am on Sunday at Chemberi. Nishanth and two others, P M Haneefa and K V Anish, were bringing a local breed of cow and its calf bought from Korladukka in Sulliya in a jeep. A vehicle belonging to the Karnataka forest department began following the jeep from the state border and blocked it at Kallappally.

When the forest officials fired in the air, Haneefa and Anish escaped from the scene. However, Nishanth, who was driving the jeep, stopped the vehicle and got down. The forest officials then fired at his leg unprovoked and drove away with the jeep along with the cow and the calf.